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What KDP Publishing Actually Means

KDP — Kindle Direct Publishing — is Amazon’s self-publishing platform. It’s free, it’s open to anyone, and it sits behind a single dashboard that handles your ebook, your paperback, your metadata, your pricing, and your reporting. Getting your book live on KDP is straightforward. Getting it to actually sell on KDP is where the work is — and most of that work happens before upload, not after.

The KDP upload, step by step

• Manuscript file — EPUB preferred, DOCX accepted, KPF for Kindle Create users. KDP converts whatever you upload into its internal format (KFX); a clean EPUB produces the cleanest KFX.
• Cover file — JPG or TIFF, 2,560 × 1,600 pixels recommended for ebooks, 300 DPI for paperbacks.
• Metadata — title, subtitle, author, contributors (illustrator, translator, editor), description (limit 4,000 characters with HTML formatting allowed), categories (3 max), keywords (7 max).
• Pricing — royalty plan (35% or 70%), list price, optional KDP Select enrolment, optional pre-order schedule.
• Rights and territories — you confirm you own the rights, then choose worldwide or specific territories.

Royalty math, including the delivery fee

KDP’s 70% royalty is gross, not net. From every $2.99-$9.99 ebook sale, Amazon deducts a delivery fee calculated by your file size: roughly $0.15 per MB in the US, lower in other territories. A 5 MB ebook (image-heavy children’s book or illustrated non-fiction) costs you about $0.75 per sale before the 70% applies, dropping a $4.99 sale’s net royalty from $3.49 to $2.96. Compress your images, embed only the fonts you actually use, and your delivery fee usually drops to under $0.10 per copy.

The categories-and-keywords trap

KDP lets you select three categories and seven keywords. Most authors pick broad categories (“Fiction > Romance”) and generic keywords (“good book”), then wonder why they don’t rank. Use the most specific categories that still apply (browse Amazon’s left-sidebar tree to find them), and use keywords that describe your book’s premise, not its quality. KDP’s search algorithm matches the keyword string against reader queries; “small-town witch romance” finds buyers; “great romance novel” does not.

Why Authors Choose KDP

• Free to publish. No setup fee, no annual fee, no royalty floor.
• Bundled paperback. Same dashboard, same listing, no second platform to manage.
• Promotional levers. Countdown Deals, Free Promotions, Kindle Unlimited reads (when enrolled in KDP Select).
• Direct reporting. Sales and KU reads update within 24 hours; royalty payments are monthly with no minimum threshold (after the first 60 days).
• Update freedom. Replace files, change price, swap covers, edit metadata at any time.

KDP splits cleanly into print and digital. Print authors need KDP paperback formatting to clear print review on the first attempt. Kindle authors need the KDP upload workflow for the eBook side. Authors weighing wider distribution typically read IngramSpark vs KDP next, and image-heavy titles need fixed-layout formatting rather than reflowable EPUB.

Frequently Asked Questions About KDP Publishing

What file formats does KDP accept for ebooks?
EPUB, DOCX, KPF (Kindle Create), and a handful of legacy formats. EPUB is the cleanest path because it’s the format KDP converts everything else into anyway. We always deliver EPUB.

How long does KDP review take?
72 hours is the published estimate. In practice, simple manuscripts pass in 24-36 hours and complex ones (lots of images, fixed layouts, edge-case fonts) take the full 72 hours or longer.

How do I pick KDP categories and keywords?
Pick three categories and seven keywords. Categories should be the most specific that still describe your book; broad categories have too much competition. Keywords should be search phrases readers actually type — “cozy mystery cat protagonist,” not “good book.”

What is A+ Content and do I need it?
A+ Content is the rich-media block on your Amazon listing — multiple images, comparison charts, author bio, additional copy. It’s free, it noticeably increases conversion, and you should set it up before your launch.

Can I change my book’s price after publishing?
Yes, instantly through KDP. Price changes take effect within an hour. Just remember the 70% royalty bracket only applies between $2.99 and $9.99 — drop below or above and you fall back to 35%.